Separatist leaders detained to prevent protest amid curfew
SRINAGAR: Kashmir separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were detained in Srinagar while attempting to march towards Anantnag in south Kashmir on Monday, despite the ongoing curfew.
Eyewitnesses said a group of policemen stationed outside Mirwaiz’s house in Nigeen detained the moderate separatist as he tried to break the cordon and leave his house. Mirwaiz, however, was released later and put under house arrest.
“The people’s right to peaceful assembly and protest be restored forthwith and the forces be withdrawn and leadership and people be allowed to visit the families of the martyrs,” Mirwaiz said in a statement while condemning the “restrictions and curbs on people for demanding their basic right, the right to selfdetermination”.
Earlier, hard-line separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani was taken into custody outside his residence at Hyderpora in Srinagar. A spokesman of Geelani said he was taken to Humhama police station.
It could not be ascertained whether he was released later or not.
The separatist leaders, who have been under house arrest for a long while now, had asked people to join a rally in large numbers in Anantnag to “express solidarity with people there and pay glowing tributes to the recent martyrs”.
Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani and two other militants who were killed in an encounter on July 8 in south Kashmir’s Kokernag area had triggered widespread protests across Kashmir, leading to a curfew being imposed almost immediately.
Locals clashing with security officials caused 49 deaths so far, including two policemen, mostly from injuries caused by bullets and pellets fired by police and CRPF – a fact that has caused much uproar among people in the Valley. Over 2,000 civilians were also wounded in the ensuing violence. On Monday, restrictions remained in place in the southern districts of Pulwama, Anantnag and Kulgam to prevent the ‘Anantnag chalo’ march called by separatists. They also remained in force in parts of old Srinagar and northern towns of Baramulla and Pattan.
Despite the curfew, many people in south Kashmir tried to march towards Anantnag town prompting a police and CRPF crackdown. Many protesters were wounded when police resorted to baton charge and fired tear smoke shells to stop them from marching onwards.
Protests were also reported in some areas of old city in Srinagar.A police spokesman in the evening said that situation remained “under control and peaceful” throughout the Valley.